Method and device for portion packaging of flat products

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a method and to a device for portion packaging of flat products, such as potato chips, in which the products are conveyed as product portions along a plurality of product conveying sections, which are disposed adjacent to each other, to a product transfer device for transferring the product portions into packaging containers, wherein, between each product conveying section and two transfer conveyors of the product transfer device, which are disposed adjacent next to each other, the product portions delivered via the product conveying section are distributed to the transfer conveyors by means of a redistributing device in such a manner that during occurrence of a conveying gap between two product portions conveyed on the product conveying section, the redistributing device is switched from a first connection configuration for establishing a conveying connection between the product conveying section and the first transfer conveyor and a second connection configuration for establishing a conveying connection between the product conveying section and the second transfer conveyor, the speed of the product portions on conveying sections of different lengths of the transfer conveyors being influenced by means of a synchronizer in such a manner that at the end of a feed cycle of a packaging unit, which comprises packaging containers disposed in columns and rows of a packaging container matrix of the packaging unit and is moved forward in a clocked manner along a packaging conveying section perpendicular to the product conveying sections, the product portions are transferred from a transfer position into the packaging containers.

The present disclosure relates to a method for portion packaging of flatproducts and to a device for portion packaging of flat products.

For packaging potato chips in packaging units, it is known for thepotato chips to be transferred to a plurality of discharge conveyingsections in the discharge area of a deep fryer, said discharge conveyingsections being disposed adjacent to each other and taking divergingpaths in a track spreading portion for enlarging the spacing between thedischarge conveyor sections and ending in product conveying sectionswhich are spaced apart from each other, adjacent next to each other andpreferably parallel. Along the product conveying sections, productportions are formed out of the continuously conveyed potato chips, saidproduct portions ultimately being transferred into separate packagingcontainers in a product packaging area, said packaging containers beingtransported out of the product packaging area along packaging containerconveying section assigned to each of the individual product conveyingsections.

In particular with small-sized packaging containers, which can hold onlya relatively small quantity of potato chips, the output of a packaginginstallation that can be achieved at maximum in terms of the amount ofproduct per packaging conveying section is relatively low. Overall,small packaging amounts thus require a disproportionate degree ofinstallation complexity due to the large number of packaging conveyingsections.

Hence, the object of the present disclosure is to propose a method and adevice for portion packaging of flat products in such a manner that thedegree of installation complexity in connection with portion packagingof flat products is reduced.

In the method according to the disclosure, between a product conveyingsection and two transfer conveyors of a product transfer device, whichare disposed adjacent next to each other, the product portions deliveredvia the product conveying section are distributed to the transferconveyors by means of a redistributing device in such a manner thatduring occurrence of a conveying gap between two product portionsconveyed on the product conveying section, the redistributing device isswitched from a first connection configuration for establishing aconveying connection between the product conveying section and the firsttransfer conveyor and a second connection configuration for establishinga conveying connection between the product conveying section and thesecond transfer conveyor, a synchronizer influencing the speeds of theproduct portions on conveying sections of different lengths of thetransfer conveyors in such a manner that at the end of a feed cycle of apackaging unit, which comprises packaging containers disposed in columnsand rows of a packaging container matrix of the packaging unit and ismoved forward in a clocked manner along a packaging conveying sectionperpendicular to the product conveying sections, the product portionsare transferred from a transfer position into the packaging containers.

Hence, as a result of the distribution of product portions conveyed viathe product conveying sections onto a plurality of transfer conveyors incombination with the provision of a packaging unit comprising aplurality of packaging containers disposed in a matrix array, thepackaging output related to the packaging unit and to the packagingconveying section substantially increases according to the disclosurewhile there is only one packaging conveying section. Instead of aplurality of packaging conveying sections, which each serve to conveypackaging units having little product holding capacity, as little as onepackaging conveying section is sufficient when implementing the methodaccording to the disclosure, which means that implementation of themethod requires a correspondingly lower degree of installationcomplexity.

Preferably, the feed motion carried out in the feed cycle along thepackaging conveying section corresponds to the product of the columnspacing of the packaging container matrix and the number of columns ofthe packaging container matrix.

Particularly advantageous integration of the packaging containerproduction into the packaging process is possible if packaging units areproduced in a packaging container production portion of the packagingconveying section while the product portions are being conveyed on thetransfer conveyors.

In the packaging container production portion of the packaging conveyingsection, packaging units comprising packaging containers disposed in apackaging container matrix are preferably produced out of plastic filmin a thermoforming process, and once a packaging container unit has beenproduced, it is moved forward in a clocked manner into a producttransfer area of the product transfer device with a feed motioncorresponding to the product of the column spacing and the number ofcolumns.

According to the disclosure, the device has a product transfer devicefor transferring the product portions into packaging containers, aredistributing device being provided between each product conveyingsection and two transfer conveyors, which are disposed adjacent next toeach other, said redistributing device being switchable between a firstconnection configuration for establishing a conveying connection betweenthe product conveying section and the first transfer conveyor and asecond connection configuration for establishing a conveying connectionbetween the product conveying section and the second transfer conveyor,the transfer conveyors of the product transfer device, which haveconveying sections of different lengths, each being provided with asynchronizer for synchronized arrival of the product portions in atransfer position at a transfer end of the transfer conveyors, and apackaging conveyor for clocked conveying of packaging units, whichcomprise packaging containers disposed in a packaging container matrix,along a packaging conveying section disposed perpendicular to theproduct conveying sections.

Preferably, a thermoforming unit for producing packaging units whichcomprise the packaging containers disposed in a packaging containermatrix out of plastic film is provided in a packaging containerproduction portion of the packaging conveying section.

If the product transfer device has at least one transfer unit comprisinga plurality of transfer conveyors forming conveying sections ofdifferent lengths in such a manner that the transfer ends of thetransfer conveyors are disposed on a transfer line inclined at atransfer angle relative to the conveying direction of the packagingconveyor, packaging containers of the packaging unit which are locatedin different rows and columns of the matrix array of the packaging unitcan be filled simultaneously.

Preferably, the foremost transfer conveyor of a transfer unit in theconveying direction forms the shortest conveying section of the transferunit and the rearmost transfer conveyor in the conveying direction formsthe longest conveying section of the transfer unit.

Preferably, a number of product conveyors that corresponds to half ofthe number of transfer conveyors is assigned to each transfer unit.

If the number of transfer units of the product transfer devicecorresponds to the number of forming stamps of a forming tool of thethermoforming unit comprising forming stamps disposed in the form of amatrix which are disposed in columns oriented perpendicular to theconveying direction and the number of transfer conveyors of transferunits corresponds to the number of rows of forming stamps oriented inthe conveying direction, the device can be ideally adapted to the matrixof the packaging unit.

The redistributing device can be realized as a conveying device whichcan be pivoted in the horizontal plane and which is preferably realizedas a conveyor belt device.

The synchronizer of the transfer conveyors of the product transferdevice can be realized as a stop device that can be pivoted about ahorizontal axis in the conveying direction of the transfer conveyors.

Another advantageous embodiment of the synchronizer is realized as aconveyor belt device which is disposed above the transfer conveyors andwhich circulates in the conveying direction and which has at least twostop devices whose mutual distance can be changed and which can be movedindependently of each other, which means that the synchronizer canselectively accelerate or decelerate the product portions intended forpackaging along the conveying section of the transfer conveyors.

Preferably, an introducing element is provided for filling productportions from the transfer end of the transfer conveyors into apackaging container of the packaging unit.

If the introducing element can be pivoted about a horizontal axis, theposition of the introducing element can be adapted to the position ofthe packaging container.

It is particularly advantageous if the introducing element is disposedbetween a transfer end of the transfer conveyor and a move-alongelement, which extends the conveying section of the transfer conveyor,in such a manner that the introducing element can be pivoted between afilling position for filling the product portions into the packagingcontainer and a move-along position for moving the product portionsalong, which means that in the event of errors during production of thepackaging units, for example, the product portions conveyed from thetransfer conveyors into the product transfer area can be removed fromthe packaging process.

Hereinafter, a preferred variation of the method and an advantageousembodiment of the device used in said method will be explained in moredetail based on the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of the interface between themethod for portion packaging of flat products and a plurality ofdischarge conveyor sections disposed parallel to each other in thedischarge area of a deep fryer;

FIG. 2 shows a device for portion packaging of flat products configuredusing the example of a product conveying section;

FIG. 3 shows the device as illustrated in FIG. 2 in an isometricillustration with a first embodiment of a synchronizer disposed abovetransfer conveyors of a product transfer device;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of the synchronizer illustrated inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged illustration of a redistributing devicedisposed between the product conveying section and the product transferdevice of the device illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the device as illustrated in FIG. 3 withanother embodiment of a redistributing device;

FIG. 7 shows an enlarged illustration of the redistributing deviceillustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a product packaging device formed on a product transferdevice in a product transfer area with guiding elements assigned to theindividual transfer conveyors of the product transfer device;

FIG. 9 shows a guiding element in a filling position;

FIG. 10 shows the guiding element as illustrated in FIG. 9 in amove-along position;

FIG. 11 shows a schematic illustration of the product transfer deviceformed adjacent to a plurality of product conveying sections, includingan illustration of how product portions conveyed along product conveyingsections are redistributed to two transfer conveyors of the producttransfer device from each of three product conveying sections;

FIG. 12 shows the portion packaging into a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 3×6 packaging containersimmediately prior to packaging of the first product portions;

FIG. 13 shows the packaging process immediately after packaging of thefirst product portions;

FIG. 14 shows a transition phase of the packaging process;

FIG. 15 shows an end phase of the filling of the packaging unit;

FIG. 16 shows a transition phase after completed filling of a firstpackaging unit;

FIG. 17 shows a redistribution of product portions conveyed along twoproduct conveying sections for filling a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 1×4 packaging containers;

FIG. 18 shows a redistribution of product portions conveyed along fourproduct conveying sections for filing a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 2×4 packaging containers;

FIG. 19 shows a redistribution of product portions conveyed along sixproduct conveying sections for filling a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 3×4 packaging containers;

FIG. 20 shows a redistribution of product portions conveyed along threeproduct conveying sections for filling a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 1×6 packaging containers;

FIG. 21 shows a redistribution of product portions conveyed along sixproduct conveying sections for filling a packaging unit having apackaging container matrix comprising 2×6 packaging containers.

FIG. 1 shows a discharge area 30 of a deep fryer (not shown) comprisinga plurality of discharge conveyor sections 31 which are disposedparallel to each other and which end, downstream of a track spreadingportion 32, in product conveying sections which are disposed adjacent toand at a distance from each other, said product conveying sections 33leading to a product transfer device 34, which is illustrated onlyschematically in FIG. 1 and which allows product portions 47 to befilled into packaging containers 35 of a packaging unit 36 thatcomprises packaging containers 35 in a matrix array.

FIG. 2 shows a product transfer device 34 which is formed adjacent toproduct conveying section 33 in the conveying direction, said producttransfer device 34 comprising a redistributing device 37 disposedbetween product conveying section 33 and product transfer device 34,said redistributing device 37, as can be gathered in particular from acombined view of FIGS. 3 and 5, comprising a conveyor belt device 39that can be pivoted in a horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 5 inparticular, conveyor belt device 39 can be pivoted between twoconnection configurations about a vertical pivot axis 43, which enablesthe connection configuration shown in FIG. 5 on the one hand, in whichconveyor belt device 39 enables a conveying connection between a productconveying device 40 forming conveying section 33 and a first transferconveyor 41 of product transfer device 34, and, in the second connectionconfiguration (not shown), enables a conveying connection betweenproduct conveying device 40 and a second transfer conveyor 42, which isdisposed adjacent to and at a distance from first transfer conveyor 41.

In the case at hand, as shown in FIG. 3, product conveying device 40 iscomposed of two vibration conveyor chutes 44 and 45, which are disposedin series one behind the other, and of a conveyor belt device which isconfigured as a weighing device 46, first vibration conveyor chute 44ensuring a substantially even distribution of potato chips conveyed in acontinuous line, and vibration conveyor chute 45 disposed downstreamallowing, by means of a clocked operation divided into ON and OFF times,the formation of product portions 47, which are conveyed onward onweighing device 46 while being weighed in order to change the number ofpotato chips forming product portions 47 by changing the clockedoperation of vibration conveyor chute 45 if a portion weight deviatesfrom a target weight. Redistributing device 37, which is explained aboveand by means of which, alternately, one product portion 47 isdistributed to transfer conveyor 41, which is disposed on the left inthe conveying direction in FIG. 5, and, after pivoting of redistributingdevice 37, the following product portion 47 is distributed to transferconveyor 42, located on the right in FIG. 5, and conveyed onward ontransfer conveyor 42, is located between weighing device 46 and producttransfer device 34. In the case at hand, both transfer conveyors 41 and42 are realized as vibration conveyor chutes.

Transfer conveyors 41 and 42 are each provided with a synchronizer 50that has a stop 49 which can be pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis 48as illustrated in FIG. 2, or with a synchronizer 52 that is realized asa conveyor belt device 51 disposed above respective transfer conveyors41 and 42 and circulating in the conveying direction, wherein, asillustrated in the schematic illustration of FIG. 4, a plurality of stopdevices 53 each connected to a conveyor belt of conveyor belt device 51are disposed on conveyor belt device 51, said stop devices 53 beingmoveable independently of each other, wherein each two stop devices 53can accommodate a product portion 47 between them and can delay oraccelerate its conveying on transfer conveyors 41 and 42 so as to beable to influence the time of arrival of product portions 47 at atransfer end 54 of transfer conveyors 41 and 42. In contrast,synchronizer 50 illustrated in FIG. 2 and comprising stop 49, which ispivotable about a spatially fixed pivot axis 48, can merely delay theconveying of product portions 47 on transfer conveyors 41 and 42.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, an introducing element 55 isprovided at each transfer end 54 of transfer conveyors 41 and 42, saidintroducing element 55 allowing targeted filling of product portions 47dropping from transfer end 54 into packaging containers 35 provided in atransfer area 56.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a redistributing device 34 is provided between productconveying section 33 and transfer conveyors 41 and 42 of producttransfer device 34, said redistributing device 58 having a track switch59 comprising a conveyor belt device 60 which is constantly disposed inits position and on which a switching element 61 horizontally pivotableabout a vertical pivot axis 38 allows alternating distribution ofproduct portions 47 delivered along product conveying section 33 ontoguide rails 62 and 63 which are disposed in a V shape relative to eachother and which each enable a conveying connection to downstreamtransfer conveyors 41 and 42, respectively.

In a schematic illustration, FIG. 11 shows three product conveyingsections 33 disposed adjacent and parallel to each other at a productconveying section spacing 4 a, each product conveying section 33 beingalternately connected to a transfer conveyor 66 or 67 and 68 or 69 and70 or 71, respectively, via a redistributing device 37, transferconveyors 66 to 71 together forming product transfer device 65. Transferconveyors 66 to 71 have different lengths and end with their transferends 72 in a transfer area 73 which, in the case at hand, is disposedabove a packaging containers strand 74 having a plurality of integrallyinterconnected packaging containers 75 disposed in the form of a matrix.For the sake of simplified illustration, in the embodiment shown in FIG.11, a direct transfer of product portions 47 conveyed along transferconveyors 66 to 71 into packaging containers 75 each disposed belowtransfer ends 72 is illustrated without disposition of an introducingelement 55, such as the one provided in FIG. 6, for example, at transferend 72.

As shown in FIG. 11, transfer conveyors 66 to 71 are each located at adistance 2 a from each other, i.e. at twice the spacing a of columns Sof the matrix array of packaging containers 75. Furthermore, FIG. 11shows that transfer ends 72 of adjacent transfer conveyors 66 to 71 eachhave a spacing b from each other, which corresponds to row spacing b ofpackaging containers 75, which are disposed in rows. Transfer ends 72are located on a transfer line which is inclined at a transfer angle αrelative to a conveying direction V of packaging containers 75. Transferconveyor 66, which is foremost in the conveying direction V, has theshortest conveying length l, and transfer conveyor 71, which is rearmostin the conveying direction V, has the longest conveying length l.

As becomes clear from spacing p formed between individual productportions 47, the portion spacing basically increases because ofalternating distribution of product portions 47 conveyed onredistributing devices 37 to respectively assigned transfer conveyors66, 67 and 68, 69 and 70, 71, respectively. Moreover, it can also beseen that the spacing between product portions 47, starting with aspacing p1 on transfer conveyor 66 up to a portion spacing p6 ontransfer conveyor 71, becomes gradually larger, the increase in portionspacing p being brought about by means of synchronizer 50 with the aimthat product portions 47 conveyed on respective transfer conveyors 66 to77 arrive at transfer ends 72 of transfer conveyors 66 to 71 atsubstantially the same time so that product portions 47 disposed attransfer end 72 can be transferred into packaging containers 75simultaneously.

FIGS. 12 to 16 show, by way of example, a filling of packagingcontainers 75 with product portions 47, said packaging containers 75being produced in a matrix array by means of a forming tool 79 in such amanner that in a packaging container production portion 76 of apackaging conveying section 77, packaging containers 75 moved forward ina clocked manner along packaging conveying direction V are each filledby means of a product transfer device 78 having three transfer units 64each comprising six transfer conveyors 66 to 71.

In FIG. 12, forming tool 79 of a thermoforming unit is illustratedschematically in packaging container production portion 76, saidthermoforming unit allowing packaging containers 75 to be enclosed intofilm web (not shown) conveyed along packaging conveying section 77. Inthe embodiment example shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, forming tool 79comprises eighteen forming stamps 80, which are disposed in a matrixarray and allow simultaneous production of packaging containers 75disposed in a corresponding matrix array as a packaging unit 81. Eachtime a packaging unit 81 has been produced, it is moved forward by afeed cycle along packaging conveying section 77, the feed motion thuscarried out corresponding to the product of column spacing a of thematrix array and the number of columns of the matrix array. In the caseof the illustrated embodiment example, this means that each time apackaging unit 81 has been produced, a feed motion which is three timescolumn spacing a, i.e. 3 a, is carried out.

In FIGS. 12 to 16, the cycle progress is shown based on exemplarilyillustrated filling levels, achieved during the cycle progress, of apackaging container strand 82 produced in a clocked manner, therespective cycle progress being illustrated by feed mark 83 formed onpackaging container strand 82. In this regard, FIG. 12 shows a packagingcontainer strand 82, produced in a clocked manner by means of formingtool 79 in packaging container production portion 76, at the start of afilling process in which all packaging containers 75 are still empty. Asthe clocked feed progresses, packaging containers 75 formed in packagingcontainer strand 82 are gradually filled until finally, after a start-upphase whose end is illustrated in FIG. 16, a continuous complete fillingof all packaging containers 75 of packaging containers strand 82 isachieved.

In FIGS. 17 to 21, alternative embodiments of product transfer devices84 to 88 are illustrated, which serve to fill packaging containerstrands 89 to 93, which each have packaging units 99 to 103 withdifferent matrix forms produced in a packaging container productionportion 76 of packaging conveying section 77 using different formingtools 94 to 98, which means that, accordingly, different feed motionsthat correspond to the product of column spacing a and the number ofcolumns of the packaging container matrix are carried out during thefeed cycles. For instance, in packaging container strands 89 and 92illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 20, a feed motion corresponding to one timecolumn spacing a is carried out during one feed cycle, and in packagingcontainer strands 90 and 93 illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 21, a feedmotion corresponding to two times column spacing a is carried out duringone feed cycle, whereas in packaging container strand 91 illustrated inFIG. 19, a feed motion corresponding to three times column spacing a iscarried out during one feed cycle.

In addition to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, FIGS. 8 to10 show how introducing elements 55 are disposed between transfer ends72 of transfer conveyors 41 and 42 and move-along elements 104 extendingthe conveying sections of transfer conveyors 41 and 42 in such a mannerthat introducing elements 55 can be pivoted between a filling positionfor filling product portions 47 into packaging containers 35 and amove-along position for moving product portions 47 along.

1. A method for portion packaging of flat products, such as potatochips, in which the products are conveyed as product portions along aplurality of product conveying sections, which are disposed adjacent toeach other, to a product transfer device for transferring the productportions into packaging containers, wherein, between each productconveying section and two transfer conveyors of the product transferdevice which are disposed adjacent next to each other, the productportions delivered via the product conveying section are distributed tothe transfer conveyors with a redistributing device in such a mannerthat during occurrence of a conveying gap between two product portionsconveyed on the product conveying section, the redistributing device isswitched from a first connection configuration for establishing aconveying connection between the product conveying section and the firsttransfer conveyor and a second connection configuration for establishinga conveying connection between the product conveying section and thesecond transfer conveyor, the speed of the product portions on conveyingsections of different lengths of the transfer conveyors being influencedby means of a synchronizer in such a manner that at the end of a feedcycle of a packaging unit, which comprises packaging containers disposedin columns and rows of a packaging container matrix of the packagingunit and is moved forward in a clocked manner along a packagingconveying section perpendicular to the product conveying sections, theproduct portions are transferred from a transfer position into thepackaging containers.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein thefeed motion carried out along the packaging conveying section in thefeed cycle corresponds to the product of the column spacing a of thepackaging container matrix and the number of columns of the packagingcontainer matrix.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein duringconveying of the product portions on the transfer conveyors, packagingunits are produced in a packaging container production portion of thepackaging conveying section.
 4. The method according to claim 3, whereinin the packaging container production portion of the packaging conveyingsection, packaging units comprising packaging containers disposed in apackaging container matrix are produced out of plastic film in athermoforming process, and once a packaging container unit has beenproduced, it is moved forward in a clocked manner into a producttransfer area of the product transfer device by a feed motioncorresponding to the product of the column spacing a and the number ofcolumns.
 5. A device for portion packaging of flat products, such aspotato chips, the device having a plurality of product conveyingsections, which are disposed adjacent next to each other and serve toconvey product portions, and a product transfer device for transferringthe product portions into packaging containers, a redistributing devicebeing provided between each product conveying section and two transferconveyors, which are disposed adjacent next to each other, saidredistributing device being switchable between a first connectionconfiguration for establishing a conveying connection between theproduct conveying section and the first transfer conveyor and a secondconnection configuration for establishing a conveying connection betweenthe product conveying section and the second transfer conveyor, thetransfer conveyors of the product transfer device, which have conveyingsections of different lengths, are each provided with a synchronizer forsynchronized arrival of the product portions in a transfer position at atransfer end of the transfer conveyors, and with a packaging conveyorfor clocked conveying of packaging units, which comprise packagingcontainers disposed in a packaging container matrix, along a packagingconveying section disposed perpendicular to the product conveyingsections.
 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein a thermoformingdevice for producing packaging units comprising packaging containersdisposed in a packaging container matrix out of plastic film is providedin a packaging container production portion of the packaging conveyingsection.
 7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the producttransfer device has at least one transfer unit comprising a plurality oftransfer conveyors forming conveying sections of different lengths insuch a manner that the transfer ends of the transfer conveyors aredisposed on a transfer line which is inclined at a transfer angle αrelative to the conveying direction V of the packaging conveyor.
 8. Thedevice according to claim 7, wherein the foremost transfer conveyor of atransfer unit in the conveying direction forms the shortest conveyingsection of the transfer unit, and the rearmost transfer conveyor in theconveying direction forms the longest conveying section of the transferunit.
 9. The device according to claim 5, wherein a number of productconveyors corresponding to half of the number of transfer conveyors isassigned to each transfer unit.
 10. The device according to claim 5,wherein the number of transfer units of the product transfer devicecorresponds to the number of forming stamps of a forming tool of thethermoforming unit comprising forming stamps disposed in the form of amatrix which are disposed in columns oriented perpendicular to theconveying direction V, and the number of transfer conveyors of thetransfer units corresponds to the number of rows of the forming stamps,which are oriented in the conveying direction V.
 11. The deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein the redistributing device is realized as aconveying device that can be pivoted in the horizontal plane.
 12. Thedevice according to claim 11, wherein the conveying device is realizedas a conveyor belt device.
 13. The device according to claim 5, whereinthe synchronizer of the transfer conveyors of the product transferdevice is realized as a stop device that can be pivoted about ahorizontal axis in the conveying direction of the transfer conveyors.14. The device according to claim 5, wherein the synchronizer of thetransfer conveyors is realized as a conveyor belt device which isdisposed above the transfer conveyors and which circulates in theconveying direction and which has at least two stop devices whose mutualdistance can be changed and which can be moved independently of eachother.
 15. The device according to claim 5, wherein an introducingelement is provided for filling product portions from the transfer endof the transfer conveyors into a packaging container of the packagingunit.
 16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the introducingelement can be pivoted about a horizontal axis.
 17. The device accordingto claim 16, wherein the introducing element is disposed between atransfer end of the transfer conveyor and a move-along element, whichextends the conveying section of the transfer conveyor, in such a mannerthat the introducing element can be pivoted between a filling positionfor filling the product portions into the packaging container and amove-along position for moving the product portions along.